Web winding machine



Nov. 18, 1958 F. c. BOWER WEB WINDING MACHINE 5 Shets-Shet 1 Filed Feb.24. 1953 a m F FIG-4 INVENTOR FRED C. BOWER ATTORNEYS Nov. 18, 1958 F.c. BOWER 2,860,839

was WINDING MACHINE Filed Feb. 24, 1953 I s Sheets- -Sheet 2 FIG-6'INVENTOR FRED C. BOWER BWMJZWF% ATTORNEYS Nov. 18,- 1958 F. "c. BOWERWEB WINDING MACHINE- 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 24. 1953 FIG-H FIG-1O VFIG-13 FIG-12 PRESSURE 96 SWITCH REGULATNG VALVE INVENTOR.

FRED C.BOWER ATTORNEYS United States Patent WEB WINDING MACHINE Fred C.Bower, Fulton, N. Y., assignor to The Black- Clawson Company, Hamilton,Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application February 24, 1953, Serial No.338,519

7 Claims. (Cl. 24256) This invention relates to winders for webmaterials, and it has special relation to continuous winding apparatusfor plastic film.

The invention is especially related to the transfer of a plastic webfrom a completed roll in a continuous winder to a new core for thepurpose of starting Winding on the new core without reduction in speed.It is important in handling such materials, particularly in the case ofthin plastic film, to establish an even start of the web on the corewithout having the material fold back on itself, since if there is afoldback or like objectionable edge condition on the starting end of the webon the core, the resulting uneven thickness of material on the coretends to emboss, Wrinkle or otherwise undesirably impress the succeedinglayers of material wound thereover. This condition is especiallynoticeable in handling thin or soft plastic film, since fold back on thecore may result in impressing a sufi'icient number of layers of the filmin the rollto spoil a considerable length of film.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide apparatus anda method for continuously winding plastic and other web materials whichwill assure 'a smooth and even start of the web on each new core andwhich will effect continuous control and guiding of the Web to the rollas it winds thereon in such manner as to give smoothly and evenly woundrolls under high speed operating conditionstwith minimum tendency toundesirable pressure conditions throughout the winding roll.

An additional object of the invention is to provide such apparatus andmethod which will effect smooth and even severing of the web from thefull 'roll and transfer the severed leading end of the web to a new coreunder controlled conditions preventing fold back of the web and causingthe severed web end to adhere to the new core for the desired smooth andeven winding start thereon while at the same time not requiring the useof an adhesive.

It is another object of the invention to provide a continuous winder forweb materials wherein the mechanism for transferring the advancing webfrom a full roll to a new core includes a knife element for severing theweb by movement across its path and a brush element mounted to followthe knife in such manner as to smooth the resulting cut leading end ofthe web against the core with sufficient pressure to force out air frombetween the core and the web and thereby to cause the web end to adhereto the core and to starting winding thereon.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a continuous winderforplastic and other web materials in which smooth and even winding isfacilitated by guiding the web to the winding roll on a guide rollpositioned in closely spaced relation with the winding roll and in whichthe spacing between the guide roll and the winding roll is'maintainedsubstantially constant by a sensing mechanism including an air leak portadapted to be closed by the winding roll when the space between thesurfaces of the two rolls decreases below a desired minimum.

ice

It is also an object of the invention to provide an improved method ofcontinuously winding plastic and other web materials in which smooth andeven starting of each new roll on a new core is promoted by smoothingthe cut leading end of the web against a rotating new core in thedirection of rotation of the core and with sufiicient pressure to forceout air from between the web and the core and thus to cause this end ofthe web to adhere temporarily to the core for a sufiicient interval tostart winding thereon. v

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description, the accompanying drawings and the appendedclaims.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a somewhat diagrammatic view in side eleing the several stagesof winding a roll and then cutting and transferring the web to a newcore;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing a portion of the rollsevering and transferring mechanism; Fig. 10 is an enlarged fragmentaryview showing the mechanism for sensing the relative positions of thewind-' ing and guide rolls in the winder of Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 10 and looking from right to left inFig. 10;

Fig. 12 is an enlarged fragmentary section on the line 12-12 of Fig. 11and;

Fig. 13 is a schematic view illustrating the operation of the mechanismof Fig. l012 in controlling the operation of the winder.

Referring to the drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment ofthe invention, Fig. 1 illustrates somewhat diagrammatically a continuouswinder of the gen eral type referred to above. The base frame indicatedgenerally at 15 and 16 supports a reel including a shaft 17 and a pairof arms 18 at each end of the shaft adapted to carry a plurality ofcores on which the web material is to be wound, and Fig. 1 shows thereel as supporting a substantially full roll 19 and a new core 20. Thereel arms 18 at the back of the winder also support a pair of motors 22connected through transmissions 23 with core supports, such as spindlenoses (not shown), to-drive the cores at the same surface speed as theadvancing web 25 to be wound and guide rolls 26 on the reel arms ateither side of shaft 17 support the web during transfer to a new core.The reel shaft 17 is rotatably supported on the frame 15 and is providedwith means' such as the motor 27 and driving connection showndiagrammatically at 28 in Fig. l for rotating the reel to carrysuccessive new cores to the roll starting position while simultaneouslycarrying the filled roll to the top position shown in Fig. 1 for removaland replacement by an empty core. a

The web 25 is guided to the winding roll around a pairof guide rollsshown as an anvil roll 30 and an idler roll 31 both carried by arms 32pivotally mounted in the frame by a rock shaft 33 and carryingcounter-weights 34 at their lower ends. their retracted positionindicated in dotted lines in Fig. 6 and their normal operating positionis controlled by a fluid pressure cylinder 35 mounted on the frame andconnected with shaft 33 through the piston rod 36 and lever 37. Anadjustable stop 38 on one or both of the arms 32 engages a portion ofthe frame as shown in Fig. 2 to locate the arms 32 in their desiredoperating position, and the arms are also connected by a torque tube 39.

The arm 32 at the front of the winder is shown as carry Patented Nov.18, 1958 Movement of arms 32 between ing a yardage counter driven byroll 30 through a sheave 41 and belt 42 for registering the amount ofweb material wound on each roll. The part 43 in Figs. 1 and 2 is abracing connection between the two sides of the base frame.

The anvil roll 30 acts as an upper enveloper roll during roll changing,and there is also a lower enveloper roll 44 which is desirably acylindrical brush when the winder is used for winding light plastic filmsince it minimizes undesirable pressures on the film. The brush roll 44is carried by arms 45 which are pivotally mounted in the frame by a rockshaft 46 controlled by a hydraulic cylinder 47 having its piston rod 48pivoted to an arm 49 secured to shaft 46, and an adjustable stop 50 onone or both of the arms 45 is adapted to engage a portion of the frameas shown in Fig. 2 to locate arms 45 with roll 44 in its desiredposition for roll changing. The roll 44 is driven at the same surfacespeed as the web by a motor 52 connected through chain 53 with a doublesprocket 55 on shaft 46 from which a chain 56 drives sprocket 57 on thejournal of roll 44. The roll 44 and the anvil roll 30 act together toestablish the position of a new core for starting winding, and theyalso'control the passage of the web during roll starting as describedhereinafter.

The knife assembly for severing the web and effecting transfer of thecut web to a new core is indicated generally at 60 and is carried on theends of a pair of curved arms 61 pivoted on the frame at 62. Each arm 61acts effectively as one arm of a bell crank lever having its other arm63 connected to the piston rod 64 of a fluid pressure cylinder 65supported in the frame by brackets 66. Cylinders 65 are operable asshown to swing the knife arms between their retracted position shown inFig. 1 and their operating position shown in Fig. 2 for roll starting. Aspring 67 is connected as shown to counter-balance the weight of theknife assembly in its retracted position, and a dashpot unit 68 of anysuitable type may also be provided as shown for reducing the shock atthe end of each operating stroke of the knife assembly, i. e., from theposition shown in Fig. 1 to the position shown in Fig. 2.

The knife assembly 60 includes a blade 70 which extends the full widthof the web and is carried by a bar 71 bolted or otherwise secured to theends of the arms 61. This blade 70 is thus the leading part of the knifeassembly as it is raised or swung in counterclockwise direction asviewed in Figs. 1 and 2, and it acts to sever the web as it swingsacross the path of the web. The knife assembly also includes a brush 75comprising multiple rows of bristles in a common mounting indicatedgenerally at 76 and bolted or otherwise secured to the knife arms 61just behind the knife blade 70. These bristles 75 are so located andproportioned that when the knife arms swing from their retracted totheir advanced position, the bristles will engage with light but firmpressure against the surface of a new core carried by the reel at theroll starting station of the winder.

Figs. 3-8 illustrate diagrammatically the operation of the winder towind a roll of the web material and then to effect transfer of the webfrom a full roll to a new core. Fig. 3 illustrates the normal windingposition with the winding roll 19 nearing completion. During thisoperation, the knife assembly and the roll 44 are retracted. The speedof the motor 22 driving roll 19 is controlled in a suitable manner tomaintain constant surface speed of the winding roll, and such means areshown diagrammatically as including a dancer roll 80 supported by a loopof the web between idlers 81 and 82 and having a cooperatingcounterweight 83. Since such speed controls are well known, moredetailed description thereof is believed unnecessary.

While the roll 19 is thus winding as shown in Fig. 3, a new core isloaded in the upper pair of reel arms, and when the roll 19 issubstantially completed, the roll changing cycle is initiated, which maybe done automatically through a starting switch actuated by the yardagecounter 40 or by a manual push button switch. The motor 22 driving thenew core 20 is started to bring the new core up to web speed at thestart of the roll change, and also the arms 32 are rocked to retract theanvil roll 30 to a position outside of the path of rotation of the reel.Figs. 2 and 4 show the parts in these rela tive positions.

Rotation of the reel is stopped when the new core 2%) reaches the rollstarting position, and anvil roll 30 is then returned to its normalwinding position. This movement of the reel will bring the rotating newcore 20 into engagement with the web running to the winding roll 19 andthe return movement of roll 30 will guide the web into overlappingrelation with a substantial portion of the new core as shown. Next thearms 45 are raised to bring the brush roll 44 into pressure engagementwith the new core to hold the traveling web against the core preparatoryto the severing and transferring steps, and Fig. 5 shows the parts inthese relative positions.

After these positions of the core and the guiding rolls are established,the knife cylinder 65 is atcuated to raise the knife arms as shown inFigs. 2 and 6. The propertions of the parts are such that the knifemoves in a path closely adjacent the new core 20 and between the newcore and the winding roll, thus severing the web just beyond the newcore. This cut leading end of the web continues to travel by reason ofits envelopment of the driven new core and its pressure engagement withthe new core effected by the brush roll 44. At the same time, since thebrush 75 follows the knife blade and moves in the direction of rotationof the new core, it presses this cut end of the web against the rotatingnew core with a smoothing and brushing action tending to force out anyair which may be present between the web and the core and thus causingmomentary adhesion of the web to the core, as shown in diagrammaticdetail in Fig. 7. This adhesion need last only for a moment, since assoon as the core has rotated through somewhat less than one-half arevolution following severing of the web, the cut web end will beoverlapped by the web traveling over anvil roll 30 so that the windingwill automatically continue. The final step of the transfer is to returnthe knife arms and the brush roll 44 to their normal retractedpositions, and the roll 85 continues to wind on core 20 as shown in Fig.8.

Throughout the winding operation, it is important for optimum resultsthat the web be uniformly guided onto the winding roll, and theinvention provides means for effecting this desired result bymaintaining the surface of the winding roll in a substantially constantclosely spaced relation with the surface of the anvil roll 30. Morespecifically, the invention provides means for sensing the relativespacing of the adjacent surfaces of the anvil roll and the winding roll,and this sensing means actuates the reel motor 27 intermittently toindex the reel in the direction to move the winding roll away from theanvil roll as the diameter of the winding roll increases. At the sametime, this sensing effect is obtained without contact with the windingroll such as might otherwise tend to cause undesirable pressureconditions therein.

Referring particularly to Figs. 2 and 10-13, a bracket is clamped on thetorque tube 39 extending between the arms 32 which support the anvilroll 30, and this bracket is keyed in fixed angular position on thetorque tube as indicated at 91 in Fig. 10. The bracket 90 includes apair of outwardly extending arms between which a block 92 of generallyL-shape is pivoted on a pin 93. A tube 95 extends through the block 92and is connected at its lower end by a line 96 with a source of pressureair, which may conveniently be the same air source from which theseveral cylinders 35, 47 and 65 are operated.

The upper side of block 92 carries a gooseneck 99 connected at its lowerend with the tube 95 to receive pressure air therefrom. At the upper endof the gooseneck 1s a head 100 with which the gooseneck forms anelongated hollow feeler member adapted to extend partially into thelower side of the nip of anvil roll and the winding roll in the windingposition of the apparatus, and in the surface of head facing the windingroll are multiple leak ports 101 which are thus adapted to be closedbythe surface of the winding roll when the diameter of the rollincreases sufficiently to extend into close relation with head 100.

With the goo'seneck 99 thus carried in predetermined relation with theanvil roll 30, closing of the leak ports 101 by the winding roll 85 willoccur when the surface spacing between the surfaces of the anvil rolland winding roll has decreased below a predetermined minimum. Thisminimum may be accurately determined by adjust ment of the gooseneck inhead 100 by controlled rotation of the block 92 through a thumb screw105 threaded through a bar 106 secured to the arm portions of bracket 90and provided with a lock nut 107. The upper end of thumb screw 105engages the L-shaped extension of block 92, and in order to cushion thedevice from damage by'accidental contact with the winding roll, a spring110 is mounted as shown on a bolt 111 extending through an enlarged bore112 in the block 92 and secured at its lower end to the thumb screw 105.

Fig. 13 shows diagrammatically the operative connections for thegooseneck 99 in controlling the relative positions of the anvil roll andwinding roll. The air line 96 is shown as provided with a regulatingvalve 115 and a pressure gauge 116, and a pressure switch 117 is alsoconnected with this air line. This pressure switch is in turn connectedas indicated diagrammatically at 118 in controlling relation with thereel motor 27, and this connection is such that whenever the diameter ofroll 85 increases sufficiently to close the leak ports 101, theresulting pressure increase in the line 96 will close switch 117 andoperate reel motor 27 to index the reel to a suflicient distance tocause reopening of the leak ports 101, thereby maintaining the desiredeffectively constant spacing between the surfaces of the anvil roll andwinding roll.

It is accordingly apparent that the present invention provides acontinuous winder wherein the web and the winding roll are underconstant control assuring a high degree of uniformity and freedom fromuneven pressure conditions both at the start of the roll and duringsubsequent winding. This winder is capable of handling a wide variety ofweb materials, and it offers special advantages for winding relativelylight and thin plastic film such as is susceptible of injury unlesshandled with proper care. Thus while relatively thin or stiff webmaterials such as paper and plastic sheeting frequently may havesufficiently inherent stiffness to resist both fold back at the start ofa roll and undesirable impression effects from uneven thickness in theroll, thin materials such as light plastic films are considerablysusceptible to fold back and resulting injury in the roll. The presentinvention effectively guards against such undesirable result by means ofthe smooth and even start which it provides for each new roll and theconstant guiding of the web and indexing of the winding roll as thewinding operation continues.

While the method herein described, and the form of apparatus forcarrying this method into effect, constitute preferred embodiments ofthe invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limitedto this precise method and form of apparatus, and that changes may bemade in either without departing from the scope of the invention whichis defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a continuous winder for Web material including a frame and asupport for a winding roll mounted for movement on said frame in adirection to shift a roll carried thereby with respect to a windingstation, the combination of a guide roll adjacent said winding stationfor guiding the web to a winding roll on said support, and means formaintaining the surface of said winding roll in substantially constantlyspaced relation with said.

guide roll comprising a drive for said support, means adjacent saidwinding station for sensing the position of the surface of said windingroll with respect to said guide roll, and means actuated by said sensingmeans for operating said drive when the space between the adjacentsurface portions of said winding roll and said guide roll decreasesbelow a predetermined minimum.

2. In a continuous winder for web material including a frame and asupport for a winding roll mounted for movement on said frame in adirection to shift a roll carried thereby, the combination of a guideroll for guiding the web to a winding roll on said. support, meansmounting said guide roll for movement on said frame with respect to saidsupport, means on said mounting means for sensing the position of thesurface of said winding roll with respect to said guide roll, anda'drive actuated by said sensing means for shifting said support whenthe space between the adjacent surface portions of said winding roll andsaid guide roll decreases below a predetermined minimum.

3. In a continuous winder for web material including a frame and asupport for a winding roll mounted for movement on said frame in adirection to shift a roll carried thereby with respect to a windingstation, the combination of a guide roll adjacent said winding stationfor guiding the web to a winding roll on said support, means formaintaining the surface of said winding roll in substantially constantlyspaced relation with said guide roll comprising a drive for saidsupport, means defining a leak port for pressure air adjacent saidwinding station and adapted to be closed by said winding roll, means forsupplying pressure air to said leak port, and means responsive toclosing of said leak port by said winding roll for operating said driveto cause shifting of said winding roll with respect to said guide rollwhen the space between the adjacent surface portions ofsaid winding rolland said guide roll decreases below a predetermined minimum.

4. In a continuous winder for web material including a frame and asupport for a winding roll mounted for movement on said frame in adirection to shift a roll carried thereby, the combination of a guideroll for guiding the web to a winding roll on said support, meansmounting said guide roll for movement on said frame with respect to saidsupport, means on said mounting means defining a leak port for pressureair located in predetermined relation with said guide roll and adaptedto be closed by said winding roll, means for supplying pressure air tosaid leak port, a drive for said support, and means responsive toclosing of said leak port for operating said drive to cause shifting ofsaid winding roll with respect to said guide roll when the space betweenthe adjacent surface portions of said rolls decreases below apredetermined minimum.

5. In a continuous winder for web material including a frame and asupport for a winding roll mounted for movement .on said frame in adirection to shift a roll carried thereby, the combination of a guideroll for guiding the web to a winding roll on said support, meansmounting said guide roll for movement on said frame with respect to saidsupport, an elongated hollow feeler member carried by said mountingmeans adapted to extend partially into the nip of said rolls, saidfeeler memher having a port at the outer end thereof facing said windingroll and adapted to be closed by contact with said winding roll, meansfor supplying pressure air to said feeler member for escape through saidport, a drive for shifting said support, and means including a pressureswitch operatively connecting said feeler member with said drive foroperating said drive in response to closing of said port to shift saidwinding roll with respect to said guide roll when the space between theadjacent surfaces of said rolls decreases below a predetermined minimum.

6. In a continuous winder for web material, apparatus for transferringthe advancing web from a full roll to a new core comprising means forsupporting said core adjacent the web advancing to said full roll, meansfor rotating said core at substantially the surface speed of the web, aguide roll for guiding the web into partially enveloping relation withsaid rotating core, means for severing the advancing web at a positionclosely adjacent said core and said full roll, means for smoothing thesevered leading end portion of the web against said rotating core toforce out air from between said core and the web and thereby to causesaid end portion of the web to adhere to said core and to start windingthereon, means adjacent said guide roll for sensing the position of thesurface of the winding roll on said core with respect to said guideroll, and a drive actuated by said sensing means for moving saidsupporting means to shift said core away from said guide roll when thespace between the adjacent surfaces of said guide roll and the webwinding on said core decreases below a predetermined minimum.

7. In a continuous winder for web material, apparatus for transferringthe advancing web from a full roll to a new core comprising means forsupporting said core adjacent the web advancing to said full roll, meansfor rotating said core at substantially the surface speed of the web, aguide roll for guiding the web into partially enveloping relation withsaid rotating core, a severing member including a knife adapted to bemoved in a path substantially perpendicular to the direction of travelof the web at a position closely adjacent said core and between saidcore and said full roll, a brush carried by said severing member behindsaid knife and on the side of said severing member adjacent said core,means for moving said severing member in said path to cause said knifeto sever the web and thereafter to cause said brush to smooth thesevered leading end of the web against said rotating core forcing outair from between said core and the web and thereby causing said web endportion to adhere to said core and to start winding thereon, meansmounting said guide roll for movement on said frame with respect to saidsupport, means on said mounting means defining a leak port for pressureair located in predetermined relation with said guide roll and adaptedto be closed by said winding roll, means for supplying pressure air tosaid lead port, a drive for said support, and means responsive toclosing of said leak port for operating said drive to cause shifting ofsaid winding roll with respect to said guide roll when the space betweenthe adajcent surface portions of said rolls decreases below apredetermined minimum.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,154,301 Fogarty Sept. 21, 1915 1,807,274 Beidler May 26, 19311,976,641 Vernon et al. Oct. 9, 1934 2,200,000 Johnstone May 7, 19402,205,498 Schwarz June 25, 1940 2,307,880 Croft et al. Jan. 12, 19432,361,264 Christman Oct. 22, 1944 2,512,900 Kwitek June 27, 19502,586,833 Kohler et al Feb. 26, 1952 2,592,090 Weaver Apr. 8, 1952

